Something Like Apples
by watchitstark
Summary: Surely those feelings weren't those of any more than hate? But maybe there really is only a fine line between love and hate? Remma/Swan Queen.
1. Chapter 1

**Something Like Apples**

_**A/N: When I first started to write this I had only seen up to halfway through episode 6. Yeah, inspiration hit that quickly, it's ridiculous. :P This is like a preview chapter. I have to go to bed so… :P**_

Things don't always go as well as one would hope. Good people get hurt and bad guys don't, which apparently isn't the way that things are supposed to work. Good people are supposed to have their happy ever after and then skip off into the sunset. They definitely weren't supposed to fall for evil queens who seemed to be winning at the moment. Although the blonde was rather sure that she was supposed to be tipping the scales, so far all she seems to have done was rile her up and attack her precious apple tree. It was just a tree; she could get over that, right? But it seemed to serve only to frustrate her more. And surely she had enough clothes that she can't keep track of them all, but she had noticed that she was wearing her shirt immediately. "Enjoy the shirt," it had been said with scorn, but oh how she had, it smelt of her all day; like apples and spice and something not quite nice.


	2. Chapter 2

**Something Like Apples Chapter 2**

"Madame Mayor." The blonde said cordially as she wandered past her on the way to the sop to purchase some ice cream; the cold treat was her absolute weakness, and she wanted to sit down to ponder what to do about Henry's belief in fairy tales.

"Miss Swan. Might I have a word?"

"Feel like walking to the shop with me?" She didn't answer but turned around and fell into step next to her, then went straight into what she wanted to talk about, as was her fashion.

"I'm not sure I want you around Henry."

"Haven't we already had this conversation many times?"

"Yes. But I thought I'd reiterate it as you haven't listened to me all the other times." She glanced at her current companion and then wheeled around, bringing them both to a stop and putting herself very much in Emma's personal space. "It seems that every time he sees you he comes back happier. I don't like it. Well, I like to see him happy, but not when you're the catalyst. I want to make him happy, and it's starting to feel as though you're getting in the way of that.

"He's not a prize to be won, Regina. I'm not here to stake a claim, I'm just here because I genuinely like the kid. I really do. But I haven't even bothered to consider that I might be a better mother than you, I've never even ventured into motherhood. Whereas you've been his mother since he was three weeks ole."

"Then why are you still here?"

"Because you keep on trying to get me to leave." The blonde laughed softly, trying to ignore how much she was enjoying having the older woman's breath puffing softly against her face.

"Do you have some kind of rebellious mentality?" Regina raised a perfect eyebrow.

"Something like that."

"I had assumed that you would have got bored by now, what with your track record and such."

"No, I'm intrigued now. Also, I have this attitude where if I start something then I'm going to finish it."

"So does that mean we've got you forever, then?"

"Forever's an awfully long time."

"You know, in this place, it could well be forever." She tipped her head to the side and leant in slightly, then she was gone, off down the street, leaving Emma rooted to the ground. A moment later she was moving towards the shop, again set upon her ice cream, but this time with the gorgeous woman in mind.

**~Swan Queen~**

When she re-entered the flat, tub of ice cream in hand she was surprised to find Mary Margaret already there; usually she'd still be in school.

"Hey, why aren't you still at school?" She put on her best stern parent glare.

"Half-day," the brunette replied with a smile as Emma went to retrieve a spoon and then settled down next to her on the sofa, lid already being peeled off the tub.

"What happened?"

"Wut?" She asked eloquently, mouth stretched around the spoon of ice cream she had crammed into her mouth.

"You are eating ice cream, which is a girl's number one go to when they're having problems, so spill."

"Isn't it usually for when they're having guy trouble?" She asked sceptically.

"Well, unless Regina became a guy overnight…" She trailed off, almost laughing aloud at the look on the blonde woman's face, spoon hanging out of one side of her mouth attractively.

"What do you mean?"

"Well do you have to spend all the time you're together like so close you're breathing on each other's faces?"

"She has no respect for my personal bubble!" Emma protested.

"You never push her away." The brunette pointed out gleefully, smirking.

"Stop smirking! Once she's in the bubble then she's already broken it so she may as well stay there, I don't need to make a big thing out of it and push her away."

"Oh sure, that's why you two exchange probably the most heated looks I've ever seen in my life. I wouldn't be surprised if people could get pregnant just from looking at you two."

"It's just because we're angry at each other. We're not making sexy faces; it's not my fault that she looks like that."

"So you just want to have hate sex with her instead?"

"What? That is not what I was trying to say!"

"I know." Mary Margaret laughed, "I know you want more than just angry sex, but I'm pretty sure that that would be pretty great." Emma slapped her, hard.

"Really?" "Ow!" "Awh, c'mon, it was light. And you're talking about me and Regina having sex."

"It's only weird because I'm talking about it. You two either need to fight or have sex though because you've been driving us all crazy."

"This is soooo awkward." Emma moaned.

"Yes, it is rather." She said brightly and then stood up. "I'm just going to leave you to muse upon that." She headed towards the door.

"For what it's worth, I think Henry would be over the moon." Then she was out the door, once again leaving Emma with her ice cream and something else to think about.

**~Swan Queen~**

Regina sighed as she sat down with a glass of apple cider. Bumping into Miss Swan today had been weird and not what she had been expecting. She hadn't meant to lean in as she'd left, but she couldn't help it, there was just something about the blonde that drew her in.

**~Swan Queen~**

When Mary Margaret got home again she found Emma still on the sofa but the ice cream packing was sat on the table, empty.

"That ice cream disappeared pretty quickly, then," the brunette laughed.

"Well you have been gone for two hours, and ice cream is my weakness."

"Imagine if I told Regina that the way to your heart is through ice cream?"

"You wouldn't dare. She's not going anywhere my heart anyway, with ice cream or otherwise."

"Personally, I think that you'd fall over for her is she just said please."

"Hey! If anything, I would be the dominant one."

"It would seem like you would, what with being the butch one and all, but I think that you only would be when she let you."

"I have the swag. I'm the Sheriff!"

"So? I think the gender roles are obvious, you're the guy and she's the girl, but I think as to who the dominant one is, there's rather a lot more confusion. We'll have to wait for the sex to find out for sure though, I suppose."

"Could you _please_ stop talking about the sex me and Regina are supposedly going to have?"

"Oh, right, I keep forgetting that you're not used to having a friend to talk about this with."

"I don't want to talk about it. I want to go to my room and hibernate or something."

"For someone that seems so confident about, well, everything, you're rather insecure about sex." She cocked her head to the side. "Why is that?"

"I don't need? Maybe I've been in need of a girl best friend all my life and I've only just noticed." She laughed then turned to face Mary Margaret, who was putting the shopping away. "It's just one of those thing that I've never been comfortable talking about."

"Is it because you never wanted people to notice your lack of attraction to men? Like before when I thought it was Graham but it turned out to actually be Regina?"

"Probably something like that. Guys are gross."

"How can you say that? You basically act like one."

"Yes, but I respect general hygiene."

"Good point. Some men just need a lesson in that and then they wouldn't be so bad."

"And in how to generally treat a woman and show her respect. Men are just hopeless."

"Yes, but we all knew that, didn't we?"

"I will never work out how you are attracted to them."

"Well, there was a time when I considered that I might be gay. But it turns out that actually I was just really desperate." She laughed.

"You'll find someone eventually," the blonde said quietly. "You're too nice and just, you need to find someone who's not looking for sexytimes, they're looking for love. Then you've got your man."

"It doesn't matter now, anyway, because I just want David." She said, head bowed.

"David will come around, you'll see. If not, I can always whack him with my nightstick." She laughed and circled around the counter, hesitantly putting a hand onto her friend's back.

"Don't do that, I'd definitely feel bad."

"See, you're too nice!" She laughed and pulled her into a hug. "C'mon, it'll be fine, you'll see. Henry thinks you guys belong together and he's 10 and still winces when people on the TV kiss." The brunette laughed and pulled herself together, getting back to putting the shopping away."

"At least he doesn't want you dead or something."

"So you admit that you have feelings for Regina then?"

"Hadn't I already made that obvious?" she laughed. "Anyway, I'm going for a jog, I shall be seeing you later." She smiled and jogged out the door with a laugh. She knew that ice cream was going straight to her butt.

**~Swan Queen~**

Two encounters in one day? What she do to deserve this? Regina thought as Emma jogged towards her, head down. It was obvious that she hadn't seen her yet and that she could probably slink away, but she truly wasn't sure whether she wanted to or not. Emma looked rather attractive in those holey tracksuit bottoms that were low on her hips and a particularly ragged black vest top. Her hair was up for once and it highlighted her amazing facial structure, those cheekbones were definitely the brunette's weakness.

"Miss Swan, twice in a day, one would think you were stalking me." She said smoothly as they drew together, the blonde slowing to a stop when she noticed the gorgeous woman.

"Surely that can go both ways?" She panted, wiping sweat from her forehead.

"I'm rather sure that I haven't been stalking you though," she smirked.

"Why would I be stalking you anyway?"

"Maybe you have some weird kind of obsession with me?" the brunette smirked.

"In your dreams." Emma laughed, but there was an underlying tension there the older woman, of course, noticed.

"You don't sound quite as sure as you could…" She said slowly as she stepped forwards, getting so close her and the blonde basically wouldn't have to move to be kissing.

"Maybe you're just hearing what you want to," she smirked back.

"Why on earth would I _want_ you to be obsessed with me?"

"Because it would make you feel better, to know that the one person who resists you is secretly under your spell."

"What if you are under my spell?" The brunette all but whispered.

"Then you're a very lucky lady," Emma smirked and couldn't stop her eyes flicking down to plump lips before they flicked immediately back up to chocolate eyes, but she knew straight away that she had noticed.

"I'll see you another time, Sheriff." She whispered, and then leant forward, eyes boring into Emma's to note her reaction, then she was, once again, gone. She had used the same technique as that morning, but it proved to be jut as successful.


	3. Chapter 3

**Something Like Apples Chapter 3**

"Oh, Mary Margaret I think she's trying to kill me." Emma panted as she sped through the door and into the cosy flat.

"What happened this time?"

"She just, ugh, she did that lean in thing again and she just smelt really nice and I just think that she should go away and leave me alone," the blonde said rapidly.

"No you don't, not really," she smirked. "Then you'd miss her. We both know that you actually love all of those tension-filled exchanges you guys are so great at."

"Well, yes. And then she asked if I was stalking her and said that I had an obsession with her. I don't stalk her nor do I have an obsession, but it was too damn close to the truth."

"Just be careful. She's like pure evil. Although, she does seem to rather like you, honestly. I mean, we all know that if she'd really wanted you gone then you would be."

Emma scoffed. "Hardly, I'm not going anywhere unless I want to."

""No, I think she could have driven you out. I think she's always been interesting in where Mr Gold got Henry from though, so she decided to meet you. And then you hurt her apple tree and she would have wanted you to stay after that so she could dish up her revenge."

"How do you know so much about her?"

"It's a small town and we've both been here for as long as I remember."

"Does that mean that everyone knows each other freakishly well?"

"Yes, basically. Apart from you. You're an enigma. And everyone's been thinking the same thing; why are you still here?"

"So should I make a public enouncement that I'm here for Henry?" she joked.

"No, I think that you and Regina should just become a couple."

"Oh, of course, because that is the obvious solution," the blonde said sarcastically.

"It is, it will explain everything. And anyway, no matter how well they thought that were hiding it, everyone knew about Regina and Graham, and they all think that you've replaced him in that way too."

"When I haven't."

"Even though you want to," the brunette laughed. "Take a chance, Emma, who knows, it might even pay off."

"I need a drink." Emma sighed and went and got changed, then grabbed her jacket and headed for Granny's.

**SWAN QUEEN**

"So, I heard that you and the lovely Mayor have had two run-ins today?" Ruby questioned with a grin as she slid over Emma's beer.

"Yep, which is why I've started drinking early today."

"Why don't you just kiss her or something?" Emma's head shot up so fast her neck clicked.

"Oooww!" she rubbed the sore spot with a hand. "Because I don't like her, maybe?"

"If I had that kind of tension with her then I would. To be honest if I even had a tiny bit of a chance then I would. You've got to admit that she's hot."

"She is, yes, but why does that mean that I should snog her?"

"Because you guys are going to end up shagging or in a fist fight, and I know that I'd definitely prefer the former."

"So what happens then? I take Graham's place and help her out whenever she wants?"

"If she gave me the option then I would," Ruby laughed. "Look, you guys just need to do something, anything, before you start another fire."

"Hey, the last time wasn't our fault," she laughed. "And there really isn't_ that_ much tension between us," she was trying to convince herself as much as she was Ruby.

"Oh, whatever, yes there is. Also, I think having an openly gay mayor would be the greatest thing ever. We'd be like one of the most advanced towns in America."

"I need to get out of here before this starts to sound like a good idea."

"If it's starting to sound like a good idea to you then it most certainly isn't." Emma knew that voice anywhere, and wasn't surprised to find herself nose to nose with a certain brunette when she turned around.

"Hey Regina. I see you are again showing respect for my personal bubble."

"I just have no respect for you." Emma ignored that.

"One would think that you were stalking me, that's three times in one day."

"Why would I stalk you? And haven't we already had this conversation?"

"Yes, but this time I'm accusing you, instead of the other way round."

"I'm not completely convinced that you would actually really mind if I were stalking you."

"Oh? And why's that?"

"Because you seem to enjoy it when I in lean in like this…" she whispered into Emma's ear as she leant forward, further than she had before. Emma couldn't stop the shiver from running down her spine, or her heart rate increasing, making her breathing become laboured. She then couldn't stop the blush that spread across her face when she realised that Regina had noticed all of these things.

"You're attracted to me," she said with a sinister grin, leaning back again. The blonde just shrugged.

"No more than the next person. You're an attractive woman Regina," she hastily covered.

"Hmm… Yes, but that doesn't completely explain your reaction to me."

"It's a purely physical thing. You're actually a horrible person, especially when it comes to me."

"Of course, of course. But since when were you gay?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I forget to mention that?" the blonde laughed, trying to sound convincingly nonchalant.

"Yes, you did. It's a good thing that you didn't mention it before Election Day, you might have lost some votes."

"That's nice, good to know that small town homophobia is still rampant. Although, I wouldn't say that you're completely straight either."

"What on earth is that supposed to mean?" Regina hissed. Emma took another step closer, leaving only a wisp of air between their lips, and then leant to the right.

"It means that while you noticed my reaction, I also noticed yours." She whispered into the highly-strung Mayor's ear, noticing the way that her breath caught and a shiver ran down her spine. She lingered a moment longer and then copied Regina's usual exit, leaving the stunned brunette in the middle of the diner while everyone pretended to be doing something.

**SWAN QUEEN**

That little – Regina seethed as she drove home, furious that Emma had had the nerve to leave her as she had during the two meetings before this one. But more than that, she was furious at herself, at her body's reaction. She shouldn't have been affected by the younger woman's proximity; it shouldn't have made her as breathless as it had. She couldn't stop the shiver that ran down her spine as she recalled the event, as she had leant in close and whispered in her ear. She's have to stay away from her from then on, she couldn't lose her cool, her control, as she almost had in Granny's, she had almost kiss the smug look off the blonde's very attractive face. And that simply wouldn't do.

**SWAN QUEEN**

Emma's hands were shaking as she got back into the cruiser. She honestly could not believe that she had done that, that she had leant in close and whispered in her ear, that she had accused her of being attracted to her. She hadn't believed it herself when she had said it, but judging by the way Regina's breath had caught, the shiver that had trickled down her spine, the way that their eyes had locked as she had pulled away, how the brunette had leant in as she had pulled away, as if she wanted her to stay, as If she had enjoyed their proximity. But surely that was just her overactive imagination, right?

**SWAN QUEEN**

When she got to Mary Margaret's apartment she wasn't surprised to find that the brunette was still there, settled comfortably on the sofa reading a sappy romance book.

"Ugh, how did I manage to end up in trouble when I was trying to get away from trouble? Drinking usually works!" she groaned.

"You bumped into Regina again?" The petite brunette looked up from her book, shocked.

"Yep. Well, this time she found me. And she started it. I was just enjoying a drink and a weird conversation with Ruby when she sneaks up behind me and starts something in the middle of the diner!"

"Your hands are shaking, what's wrong?" Mary Margaret stood up, going over to where the blonde was leaning against the front door.

"I, I leant in and I, well, I might have whispered in her ear?"

"You whispered in her ear?"

"Yeah, and erm, she kind of shivered and her breath hitched? And she accused me of being attracted to her so I told her that I was a lesbian and that of course I found her attractive but that her personality wasn't. And then it, I just, wow. I think I'm in shock." Mary Margaret's face split into a grin.

"This is just about the best news I could possibly receive!" she clapped excited and bounced on the balls of her feet. "You are so going to end up kissing soon!"

"What? No, we've just worked out that we're attracted to each other, that's all." Emma took a deep breath and moved over to the sofa, dropping down on to it rather heavily, Mary Margaret following.

"The whole town already knew that! People have been placing bet on you guys and all sorts. We've also worked out that you would be one fierce parenting unit."

"Technically, aren't we that already?"

"Well, no, because so far all you've done is argue and you're not working together with Henry at the moment."

"It's not going to happen anyway. We're going to end up like, punching each other in the face instead."

"Well you wouldn't want to split her lip again, would you?"

"Why not?"

"Although I suppose you could kiss it better."

"Kiss it better? I am not kissing her, end of story!" Mary Margaret laughed at Emma's stubbornness.

"Of course you're not." There was a knock on the door and the blonde groaned. "It's okay, I'll answer it."

"Regina?" Mary Margaret couldn't stop the shock in her voice.


	4. Chapter 4

**Something Like Apples Chapter 4**

"Is Miss Swan there?" There was an audible grunt from the sofa. Mary Margaret grabbed her coat.

"Emma, I'm going out for a bit, see you later." A muffled "bye" sounded from the direction of the sofa. Regina closed the door behind her and found Emma lying on her front, face squashed into the cushions.

"Go away."

"No, not after you made me look like a fool like that in front of everyone in the diner."

"I didn't do anything, not really." She's turned her head to the side so that her voice was no longer muffled.

"You did. And you know that you did," her voice lowered dangerously.

"Oh? And what was that? It's not my fault that you're attracted to me." The way she said it was so smug, Regina could actually hear the smirk in her voice, imagine it on her face.

"Is it mine that you're attracted to me then?"

"Sure. You know what you look like, and you use it to your advantage."

"Well don't you do the same? with your little smirks and your tight jeans."

"No, maybe I just like my jeans tight," she said childishly.

"And your little tank tops tighter?"

"Ugh, I just like tank tops, okay? My every move is not carefully planned out, not all of us think like you do."

"No, and I know that. But I also know that you're very sneaky indeed."

"Not most of the time, I have this habit of not thinking before I do things, you might have noticed this," she sighed and sat up. "What do you want Regina? Because four times in one day definitely qualifies as stalking."

"Maybe so, but as this is the first time that I have actively sought you out I think I'm still not stalking you."

"It leaves me wondering though." She stood up and circled around the sofa, coming to a stop just shy of being in the brunette's personal bubble. The older woman closed the gap.

"Of course, but I think that that's just wishful thinking. The whole town will know about your… preferences by now. Henry will know."

"I don't care who knows. Do I look like I'm exactly trying to hide it?"

"Well no. You do answer the door in your underwear when a woman comes knocking, that's hardly sly, is it?"

"That was one time! Are you ever going to leave me alone about that?" the blonde was exasperated, and Regina couldn't blame her.

"Probably not," she smirked.

Emma sighed. "Well that's just great then. So what about you and Graham, eh? Do you think that makes you completely straight?"

"I _know_ it doesn't, but that's hardly the point."

"Sure it is. What do you think they'll say when they find out they have a lesbian Mayor?"

"But they won't. If I'm anything, then I just like attractive people. Lust has no limits."

"Are you saying that you just want to fuck me then?"

"90% of the time I want to punch you, but I suppose I spend the other 10% thinking about how great your arse looks in those jeans."

"Well then why don't you act on either of these desires?"

"Because I have more self control than that," she smirked.

"Oh, really? So if I were to say something particularly harsh then you would punch me?"

"Yes."

"And if I were to do something particularly provocative then you would kiss me?"

"Oh, sure."

"Let's try this out then. I think Henry's right, that you are the Evil Queen and I can understand why he no longer loves you," she whispered. SMACK! Regina again took it upon herself to prove to Emma how good her right hook was. The blonde went down, but soon was up again, attempting to give her a scar to match the one that she already had on her lip. The blonde shoved her up against the wall and held her arms above her head.

"Oh look, you're powerless," she whispered into her ear, pressing her body against the lithe form of her enemy.

"Kiss me," she hissed, pink lips against the shell of her ear. Regina couldn't stop herself, and was glad that Emma hadn't actually managed to split her lip, meaning that the bruising kiss wasn't painful. The Sheriff couldn't stop the moan that fought its way past her lips as they kissed furiously, Regina's hands had been released so that she could take her coat off, and quickly put them to use, sliding them under her blouse, caressing pale skin. The blonde pulled back and then moved to her neck, moaning in approval as Regina's head fell back, exposing her throat to Emma, where she made sure to leave some very noticeable hickeys.

"You're making them noticeable on purpose, aren't you?" She managed, breathlessly.

"Of course," she smirked against her neck.

"We should stop," she moaned, not even attempting to push Emma off.

"Why?" she breathed against tender skin.

"Because this is Mary Margaret's apartment, and she's going to come back eventually. And I left Henry on his own. And even though he's very sensible, I don't like doing that," she was very proud that she had managed to string together some coherent sentences.

"He'll survive, he's a good kid." She started to work on the buttons of the protesting Mayor's blouse.

"Yes, but –" she was cut off by a low groan as Emma finally managed to get her shirt off.

**SWAN QUEEN**

"I was right!" Mary Margaret practically sung as she walked in to find a trail of clothes leading to Emma's bedroom. She tiptoed around, picking up items of clothing and folding them carefully. She was rather glad to notice that apparently their underwear had made it into the bedroom with them. She set to making herself some dinner and was surprised when a very red faced Emma edged her way into the room wearing a different set of clothes, her eyes zooming to the folded ones on the sofa. She quickly grabbed them and dashed back in to her room, not looking at Mary Margaret once even though they both knew that Emma knew she was there. A little while later an impeccably dressed Regina and a ruffled Emma headed out of the apartment, heading to the Mayor's where they knew they would have a lot more privacy.


End file.
